My UX Design process: Solving gnarly problems with strategic and collaborative design

I solve gnarly business problems with focused design and strategic thinking. My goal is to build simple, user-friendly software for companies of all sizes. There is nothing I love more than delivering a product or feature that nails the brief and achieves the outcomes that matter most to the business and their customers.

This passion drives my design process, which is built on understanding complex challenges, collaborating across teams, and creating impactful solutions. Here’s how I approach UX design:

How do you approach a new UX challenge?

When faced with a new design challenge, my first step is always to gain a comprehensive understanding of the problem. This involves:

  • Analyzing available data and analytics
  • Conducting user and stakeholder interviews
  • Collaborating cross-functionally with product managers and engineers to understand business goals and technical constraints

For example, while working at O.C. Tanner, we rebuilt our recognition engine (case study being written). I worked closely with our product team to identify key pain points in the existing 13-step process. By leveraging user data and stakeholder input, we were able to reduce the process to just 7 steps, significantly improving user engagement.

How do you develop solutions?

Once I have a clear grasp of the problem, I focus on crafting effective solutions through:

  • Conducting deeper dives into user behavior and needs
  • Creating and testing wireframes and prototypes
  • Continuously validating ideas with users and stakeholders

Cross-functional collaboration is key to this process. During the Missionary Portal redesign, I worked closely with medical experts, users, and development teams to transform complex immunization processes into user-friendly digital tools, improving efficiency by 50% across 400+ locations globally.

How do you handle complex projects?

Complex projects often require a systemic approach. I excel at:

  • Taking a bird’s-eye view of the project while also focusing on crucial details
  • Building trusting relationships with cross-functional partners
  • Facilitating transparent discussions about tradeoffs and strategy changes

For instance, at Jolt Software, I led the design of a food safety feature that achieved a 95% completion rate without user training. This success was largely due to our team’s ability to navigate complex requirements while maintaining a user-centered focus.

What happens after launch?

In the digital world, the work is never truly finished. Post-launch, I focus on:

  • Analyzing real-world performance data
  • Identifying opportunities for iterative improvements
  • Continuously refining the solution to enhance efficacy

This approach has led to significant results, such as boosting user engagement by 200% through UI optimization at O.C. Tanner.

Why is your process effective?

My process is effective because it:

  1. Prioritizes understanding the core problem before jumping to solutions
  2. Emphasizes collaboration across teams, ensuring all perspectives are considered
  3. Balances big-picture thinking with attention to critical details
  4. Remains flexible, allowing for strategy adjustments based on new insights
  5. Focuses on continuous improvement, even after the initial launch

By following this process, I’ve consistently delivered solutions that not only meet user needs but also drive substantial business value, such as the $15M revenue increase achieved through an innovative email nudge engine design at O.C. Tanner. (Yet another case study I need to write…)

How can I help you?

Whether you are a hiring manager interested in how I can contribute to your team or curious about my work or have a short-term project, would like to have me do some sketchnotes for you, or you need some mentoring, I would love to help.

Do you have something you would like to build with me? Let’s talk!

Have an event you would like to have me to sketchnote?

Looking for some advice? I mentor through ADP List.